In this article, I want to share my experience and study schedule for successfully passing the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam. If you're also preparing for this exam, I hope my review and insights can be helpful to you. Let's dive into my journey.
My fascination with cloud computing led me to explore various cloud service providers like AWS, Microsoft, and Google. As I delved deeper into the topic, it became clear that Amazon Web Services (AWS) was the market leader, with prominent companies like Netflix, Capital One, and Goldman Sachs relying on their cloud computing platform. Intrigued by AWS's strong market presence and reputation, I decided to pursue an AWS certification to gain a deeper understanding of their services and capabilities.
Now, let's discuss my study schedule. Balancing a full-time job alongside exam preparation was a challenge, but fortunately, I had a winter break from December 24th, 2021, to January 9th, 2022, providing me with a two-week window to focus solely on the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam. I strategically scheduled my exam for 6:30 PM on January 8th, the second-to-last day of my winter break. This allowed me one additional day to clear my mind before the new semester began.
I purposely chose an evening time slot for the exam, considering my tight schedule. Regardless of whether you take the exam at a physical test center or remotely, it's crucial to check in at least 30 minutes prior to the start time. I highly recommend checking in as early as possible to address any technical issues that may arise. In my case, as a remote exam-taker, I needed to use my own computer during the check-in process and disable certain functions and services. This step is particularly important if you're not technically inclined and require additional time to troubleshoot any potential problems.
When preparing for the exam, ensure you have at least one form of government-issued identification, as you'll be required to present it during the check-in process. The exam duration is 90 minutes, during which you'll answer 65 multiple-choice and multiple-answer questions. It's worth noting that each candidate receives a unique set of questions, making it challenging to predict the specific content.
Upon completion of the exam, you'll receive your pass or fail results immediately, providing instant feedback on your performance. If you pass, you'll receive a digital badge within five business days, which serves as proof of your AWS Cloud Practitioner certification.
Now, let's delve into my study schedule. During the winter break, I dedicated my time from 8 AM to 5 PM every day, except for Christmas Day and New Year's Day, to concentrate solely on exam preparation. Having a basic IT background and the ability to study for eight hours a day allowed me to complete the exam successfully in just 15 days. However, if you're new to IT or have limited study time, the duration may vary.
To summarize, passing the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam in a short timeframe is achievable with a focused study plan and dedication. By leveraging the resources and study materials I'll discuss in upcoming articles, you can enhance your chances of success in this certification journey.
Preparing for the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Exam: Learning Materials and Key Concepts
Continuing my journey towards the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam, I want to discuss the learning materials I utilized and highlight key concepts that will be crucial for your exam preparation. Let's delve into these important aspects.
One of the major learning resources I leveraged was the AWS Skill Builder system. This online learning platform, offered by AWS, provides comprehensive resources for learning about AWS services and various certification exams—for free. I found this system to be incredibly valuable, and I highly recommend utilizing it. You can access the AWS Skill Builder system with your existing Amazon account, and I'll include the link below for easy reference.
While there are numerous learning materials available in the market, the AWS Skill Builder system is the only official learning system provided by AWS itself. It covers a wide range of topics and ensures you have access to accurate and up-to-date information. In today's world, where learning materials are readily available online and often free, it's essential to take advantage of such resources to enhance your knowledge.
The other significant learning material I utilized was the AWS white paper. This document provides insights into all AWS services, their functionalities, and the most cost-effective ways to utilize them. Familiarizing yourself with the services listed in the AWS white paper and understanding their capabilities and cost optimization strategies is crucial for the exam. I'll provide a link to the latest AWS white paper below, enabling you to access it at no cost.
Throughout my preparation, I dedicated countless hours to learning and expanding my knowledge of AWS and the exam content. As a result, I developed a concise definition of cloud computing: a system where your data runs on Amazon Web Service hardware, with a collaboration between your data and Amazon's infrastructure. To clarify the responsibilities associated with this collaboration, AWS follows the shared responsibility model. This model explicitly outlines who is accountable for different aspects, such as hardware infrastructure, data security, and operating system security. It's vital to thoroughly understand this model as it plays a significant role in the exam.
In the exam, your responsibilities align with what you can control or interact with directly. For instance, if you use the Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) web server, you're responsible for updating its operating system and ensuring its security. However, since you don't have physical access to the underlying hardware, AWS assumes responsibility for its security. Mastering the shared responsibility model allows you to differentiate and assign responsibilities accurately in AWS systems when presented with case studies.
Another essential knowledge point is understanding what constitutes AWS. If you have experience with the LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) infrastructure for building websites, you'll notice that when migrating to AWS, LAMP corresponds to EC2, S3, RDS, and Lambda. Familiarizing yourself with these specific AWS services is crucial for the exam, and you can find detailed information on them in the AWS Skill Builder learning system.
Lastly, AWS promotes the five pillars of the AWS Well-Architected Framework, which showcases the benefits of utilizing AWS services. These pillars include operational excellence, security, reliability, performance efficiency, and cost optimization. Understanding and remembering these pillars will be essential during the exam. The AWS Skill Builder learning system provides comprehensive coverage of these pillars, allowing you to grasp their significance.
By exploring the AWS Skill Builder system, familiarizing yourself with the AWS white paper, understanding the shared responsibility model, AWS components, and the five pillars of the Well-Architected Framework, you'll be equipped with the necessary knowledge to tackle the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam successfully.
Strategies for Success in the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Exam
As I reach the final part of my AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam preparation, I want to emphasize the crucial strategies that will ensure your success in the exam. Building upon the knowledge gained from the AWS Skill Builder system and the AWS white paper, it's time to fine-tune your understanding before taking the exam.
The exam will challenge you with various case studies where you'll need to identify the benefits that different companies can achieve by utilizing specific AWS services. Understanding the five pillars of the Well-Architected Framework will be instrumental in answering these questions. For example, if a company aims to reduce overhead costs using AWS, the relevant benefit would be cost optimization. Similar questions will arise in the exam, so it is imperative to have a strong grasp of these five pillars.
Throughout your preparation, the AWS Skill Builder learning system will equip you with a comprehensive understanding of the five pillars, the shared responsibility model, and the hardware infrastructure. Take full advantage of this valuable resource to solidify your knowledge.
Remember that completing the courses on the Skill Builder website is not the final step. You need to perform some final touches before sitting for the exam. Specifically, you must memorize every AWS service listed in the white paper. I have provided the link to the white paper below, allowing you to access and familiarize yourself with the latest version. Each service plays a distinct role, and it is crucial to understand what it is, what it offers to customers, and the most cost-effective ways to utilize it. These details will be vital for the exam.
During the exam, you will encounter numerous questions testing your ability to identify which AWS service can best help a customer achieve their goals. Additionally, AWS provides sample exam questions, which I have also included below. However, it's important to note that these sample questions tend to be easier than the actual exam questions. Therefore, I strongly advise focusing on thoroughly understanding the white paper and the material provided by the Skill Builder website, as these resources hold more significance.
Having recently completed the exam myself, I wanted to document and share this article before any important details slipped my mind. I genuinely hope that the information and insights I have provided will prove useful to you in your exam preparation. Remember to approach the exam with confidence and apply the knowledge you have acquired. Best of luck in your journey toward becoming an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner.
